Junghyun Lim took the title, crossing the finish line in an impressive 24 hours, 53 minutes and 27 seconds.

The 160km race started at 8 a.m. on September 18, while runners in the 160km, 100km and 70km categories are still making their way towards the finish.

Many runners have faced difficult conditions, with heavy rain making the trails slippery and muddy. Some have had to withdraw because of injuries or exhaustion after tackling long distances, steep mountain terrain and streams.

Thousands of runners continue to make their way towards the finish line as VMM 2026 turns Sa Pa into a gathering point for trail running enthusiasts from Vietnam and around the world.

Launched in 2013 as Vietnam's first ultra-distance trail race, VMM was initiated by the Danish Embassy and is operated by Topas Travel. Its inaugural edition attracted around 200 participants, with only one Vietnamese runner completing the longest 65km distance.

Over 13 editions, VMM has grown into one of Vietnam's largest and most challenging trail-running events, renowned for its spectacular mountain routes.

The 13th edition is taking place in Sa Pa, Lao Cai province, from September 17-20 with runners competing in six distances: 10km, 21km, 50km, 70km, 100km and 160km.

The courses wind through the high mountains of the Hoang Lien Son range, crossing streams and ethnic minority villages. Ultra runners race through the night, taking in sunrise, sunset and dramatic mountain scenery along the way.

In 2025, VMM joined the World Trail Majors, a non-profit association of 10 leading independent trail races around the world.

Domestic runners triumph at Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2020

Tran Duy Quang and Nguyen Thi Duong triumphed in the 100km race of the Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2020 which concluded in Sa Pa township in northern Lao Cai province.